The Imam's Position Relative to the Pillar in Congregational Prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Welcome, good evening.
The questioner : I tell you, may you live long, we have your word for it now. We have a mosque that is an apartment in a center here on the corniche. The imam is behind a pillar, and the worshippers come, meaning the first row is behind the imam and the pillar, and the second, third, and fourth rows are, of course, full. So some of the worshippers complain, saying, "Why don't you stand on the left or the right so that all the worshippers can see you?" So one says, "Stand in this spot and we won't hear you," meaning, even if you clarify it for them and the mosque is limited, meaning if we remove the pillar and place the imam after the pillar.
The Shaykh : Let's ask the program manager, Brother Abdullah, if he allows an answer to this question. He is asking about issues related to the congregation, the congregational prayer, and whether the imam stands alone behind the pillar or what?
The questioner : Or in the imam's area.
The Shaykh : No, I mean, does the imam stand and place the pillar behind him, with the rows behind the pillar, or is the first row such that the pillar is in the middle of the first row?
The questioner : Exactly in the middle, the first row is directly behind the imam.
The Shaykh : It is better for the imam to move back so that the pillar serves as a sutrah for him, as long as the mosque is spacious.
The questioner : I don't want to understand.
The Shaykh : Other than that, and perhaps.
The questioner : If we do this and the people pray in the street, the mosque.
The Shaykh : If the imam moves forward to the wall so that the first row leans on the pillar.
The questioner : The first row is elevated next to the pillar from left to right.
The Shaykh : No, the most important thing is that the pillar is behind the row.
The questioner : The pillar is behind the row.
The Shaykh : Meaning the imam moves forward a little.
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : So that the pillar is behind the row.
The questioner : Never mind, Abu Hamad, if the imam moves forward a little, they can't, they must line up with the imam if that is the case.
The Shaykh : I didn't understand, meaning if it happens, they can compensate.
The questioner : Yes, meaning the imam is between, he prays the prayer.
The Shaykh : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to avoid standing between the pillars.
The questioner : Yes, meaning if the imam moves forward, for example, about half a meter, is that correct?
The Shaykh : Less, less than less.
The questioner : Fine, may you live long.
The questioner : I tell you, may you live long, we have your word for it now. We have a mosque that is an apartment in a center here on the corniche. The imam is behind a pillar, and the worshippers come, meaning the first row is behind the imam and the pillar, and the second, third, and fourth rows are, of course, full. So some of the worshippers complain, saying, "Why don't you stand on the left or the right so that all the worshippers can see you?" So one says, "Stand in this spot and we won't hear you," meaning, even if you clarify it for them and the mosque is limited, meaning if we remove the pillar and place the imam after the pillar.
The Shaykh : Let's ask the program manager, Brother Abdullah, if he allows an answer to this question. He is asking about issues related to the congregation, the congregational prayer, and whether the imam stands alone behind the pillar or what?
The questioner : Or in the imam's area.
The Shaykh : No, I mean, does the imam stand and place the pillar behind him, with the rows behind the pillar, or is the first row such that the pillar is in the middle of the first row?
The questioner : Exactly in the middle, the first row is directly behind the imam.
The Shaykh : It is better for the imam to move back so that the pillar serves as a sutrah for him, as long as the mosque is spacious.
The questioner : I don't want to understand.
The Shaykh : Other than that, and perhaps.
The questioner : If we do this and the people pray in the street, the mosque.
The Shaykh : If the imam moves forward to the wall so that the first row leans on the pillar.
The questioner : The first row is elevated next to the pillar from left to right.
The Shaykh : No, the most important thing is that the pillar is behind the row.
The questioner : The pillar is behind the row.
The Shaykh : Meaning the imam moves forward a little.
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : So that the pillar is behind the row.
The questioner : Never mind, Abu Hamad, if the imam moves forward a little, they can't, they must line up with the imam if that is the case.
The Shaykh : I didn't understand, meaning if it happens, they can compensate.
The questioner : Yes, meaning the imam is between, he prays the prayer.
The Shaykh : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to avoid standing between the pillars.
The questioner : Yes, meaning if the imam moves forward, for example, about half a meter, is that correct?
The Shaykh : Less, less than less.
The questioner : Fine, may you live long.
Source
سؤال من حاج 1407هـ - 1 — binothaimeen.net (13:53)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.